Maharana Pratap Jayanti celebrated in India, Rajasthan to celebrate on 28 May

The 477th jayanti of Maharana Pratap was celebrated across India by holding rallies, public functions and seminars but the same was not celebrated in Rajasthan. Instead, Rajasthan, the land of Pratap would actually celebrate the the anniversary on 28 May.

Why Rajasthan did not celebrate Pratap Jayanti on 9 May ?

The rest of India celebrates Pratap Jayanti based on English (Gregorian) Calendar, according to which his birthday falls on 9 May. But Rajasthan, as per tradition, celebrates his birthday based Vikram Samvat calendar, according to which Maharana Pratap’s birthday falls on the third day of the Jyeshtha Shukla. Hence, his birthday changes every year w.r.t gregorian calendar and this year it will be celebrated on 28 May. Additionally, his birth anniversary is a public holiday in Rajasthan.

Facts about Maharana Pratap’s Date of Birth:

The oldest reference of Pratap’s birth date was found in a book Akbar Nama by Abul Fazal penned around 1580 AD. He mentioned the birth date of Pratap in Hijri Calender.

The first reference in Vikram Samvat can be traced in the book Rawal Rana Baat authored by a Charan poet 1710 AD.

The English date was first calculated by British historian James Tod in his book Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan in the late eighteenth century.